*Pictured at Áras Contae an Chláir following the appointment of contractors for the construction of a new social housing scheme in Gort Road, Ennis, Co. Clare are, Front Row seated (left to right): Jason Murphy, Director of Service, Social Development Directorate; Noeleen Fitzgerald, Deputy Chief Executive; Alan O’Callaghan, Cathaoirleach; Patrick Gardiner, Managing Director, Coolsivna Construction Ltd. Back Row (left to right): Pádraig MacCormaic, A/Senior Executive Officer, Social Development Directorate; Adrian Headd, A/Senior Engineer, Social Development Directorate
COOLSIVNA Construction Ltd have been appointed by Clare County Council as the contractor for the building of a new 20 unit social housing development on the Gort Rd in Ennis.
Scheduled for completion in 2025, the development is funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Construction is expected to commence on this project later this month. The new development will be made up of one, two, three and four-bedroom homes and will include a number of specially adapted units.
Galway company Coolsivna Construction Ltd were last February awarded the €6m contractor for the construction of an 18 home social housing development in Scariff. They have also carried out large-scale education projects in the county such as the construction of 24 new classrooms at St Finnachta’s NS in Sixmilebridge in 2016 and the €12.5m upgrade of Ennis Community College which was officially opened in January 2023.
In April 2022, they also won the re-advertised contract of the new County Library building in Ennis.
Deputy Chief Executive of Clare County Council, Noeleen Fitzgerald, said, “These 20 housing units are part of an ambitious housing programme for the county and will make a significant contribution to the Council’s efforts to meet the housing need of applicants. This development is just one of the projects being delivered as part of Clare County Council’s housing programme which includes turnkey builds, acquisitions, buy and renew, approved housing body build and acquisition, and vacant property refurbishment. All these measures are co-ordinated, supported and delivered by the Housing team in Clare County Council to provide new homes for those on the social housing list”.
Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Councillor Alan O’Callaghan (FF), said he was encouraged by the progress being made in the delivery of social housing in the county, “The addition of this development continues the positive progress that has been achieved to date in Clare to address housing need. I look forward to seeing the completion and future occupancy of these homes, and to continued progress in housing delivery across the county”.
Jason Murphy, Director of Service, Social Housing Directorate, added, “I am delighted to see this scheme progress to the delivery stage. The project reflects the efforts of our team, working with our councillors and our colleagues in the Department of Housing in their ongoing commitment to meeting the housing need in County Clare. This project also reflects our commitment to providing safe and sustainable homes for local families. We look forward to seeing this development progress to completion”.
The project design team, managed by the Social Development Directorate in Clare County Council, includes Vincent Hannon Architects; Hassett Leyden Flynn and Associates, in the capacity of civil and structural engineers; Moloney Fox Consulting Engineers, as mechanical and electrical engineers; and Rogerson Reddan, as quantity surveyors.
